1. To leave your comfort zone:  Becoming a volunteer could be the very first step of leaving your comfort zone. If you are a volunteer, it is most likely that you will be in a different environment than your usual one.

2. To acquire new communication skills and coping strategies: Related to first article, when you find yourself in a different environment-culture-society, you will be in a situation that is necessary for you to develop new strategies to survive. Which will push you to learn new strategies to communicate with people, solve your problems by yourself. At the end, you will become a more mature person with new abilities.

3. To be in an intercultural environment: When you become a volunteer, you will have many opportunities to spend time with people from foreigner countries, from different cultures and maybe even different religions. You will enjoy the taste of sitting around a table with people who speak various languages and be able to communicate with them.

4. To practice English: Every volunteer is going to use English at some point, regardless which country she/he is going to. Which means you will have the opportunity to practice your English.

5. To learn new languages: Most of the volunteering projects can support you with the language of host organization’s country. Therefore, you will be able to learn a new language, besides English.

6. To comprehend the concept of EU and global citizenship: During your volunteering, EU will provide you with different trainings. They can be related to various topics that will help you throughout your life. At the end, you will find yourself with a full experience of a “global citizen”.

7. To travel around and collect memories: During your volunteering, you will meet with people from different countries, maybe even make friend with them. It is possible to have last longing friendships. You will have nice memories with together and many great moments to remember.

8. To learn the culture of living together: This article does not have to be necessary applicable. But if you are lucky enough, you will find yourself living with other people, maybe without any proper personal space (like your own room etc.). Which can also be helpful for you, throughout the rest of your life, since you could never know in which situation you will find yourself in. So, it is good to learn how to survive communal life anyway.

9. To take responsibility of leading a workshop or training: When you are volunteering, your hosting organization is most likely to give you some responsibilities. In this case, you will have the opportunity to improve the self- confidence to take responsibilities.

10. To improve your resume: It is most likely that you will have many experiences that you can add to your resume. Volunteering will help you with your future career, due to your wide experience during this period.

Written by Enes Malik Özdemir